


Promises of Yesterday--- Book 1- Into the Unknown

by SpectresWonderland



Series: Promises of Yesterday [1]
Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Dysfunctional Family, F/M, Family Bonding, Family Secrets, Light Angst, Minor Character Death, Other, Physical Abuse, Self Confidence Issues, Self-Acceptance, SoulClan (Oc Clan), The Petaltorrent & Dusksong tag is friendship not romance, ThunderClan (Warriors), Unplanned Pregnancy, Verbal Abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-21
Updated: 2017-11-23
Packaged: 2018-12-31 11:15:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12131268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpectresWonderland/pseuds/SpectresWonderland
Summary: Dustsnow, a young ThunderClan warrior begins to have visions of far-off places across the lake and takes this as a sign to leave his home. With his sisters by his side, will he be able to make it? Or will they only drag him down further?





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> imsorryicantwritesummarieswell

Dustsnow approached the gorse tunnel, only paw deep in snow, his long fur keeping the cold leaf-bare air out. His apprentice, Amberpaw, trailed after him slowly, his dead leg dragging limply behind him. The younger tom held a starling in his jaws, while the elder one had a squirrel. "I was proud a' you out there Amberpaw," Dustsnow mumbled through the prey, "You're gettin' more used to that bum leg a' yours." The ginger apprentice didn't even attempt words, but just beamed happily in response. As they entered the camp, Dustsnow drank in the scent of his clanmates, mingling with the scent of the forest. He set his prey in the fresh-kill pile, his apprentice following suit. "Hey, Dustsnow?" He mewed out. "Whas' up kid?"

"Can I go back out, like by myself? You look tired and I want to get more practice," he asked, tilting his head. The long-pelted tom sighed, "Don' cross borders, be back 'fore sunset." he instructed. Amberpaw turned and ran off, limping heavily, not as much as usual. Dustsnow chuckled, turning and starting towards the warrior's den, only to be greeted by his sister, Foxmist. The dark ginger she-cat looked tired but cheerful. "You missed a chance to get a border patrol, it left not too long ago, where were you?" she quizzed, yawning. "I was out huntin' with Amberpaw," he mewed, disappointment lacing his tongue, "I know he would've liked a border patrol, but the clan's gettin' short on prey, we need to stock up 'fore the hard snow-fall hits," he explained, shrugging.

"How's his training coming along?" 

"Oh, jus' wonderful," he brightened up "he's been huntin' real well, despite his leg, he caught a starlin' today." he chattered about the ginger tom happily. Foxmist snickered at this, "maybe he'll find the border patrol and join them." Dustsnow blinked "maybe, he's got time, I tol' him to be back by sunset," Foxmist nods, "Well, I'm going to go back to sleep," she laughed

 

                 Later that day Dustsnow waited near the entrance impatiently, the sun was starting to fall, and his patience for his apprentice was wearing whisker-thin, as the young tom hadn't returned yet. "Shouldn't a' let him go," he grumbled, pushing out through the entrance. He glanced upwards to see a small hawk cut through the air. His breath hitched and anxiety prickled at his paws. He quickened his pace, his large white paws pounding on the ground, blood roaring in his ears.

_Where was his apprentice?_

He whisked between the trees, small anxiety turning into full-fledged panic as he heard the hawk called out, followed by several cat screeches.

 

_The patrol was still out._

 

His paws carried him swiftly towards the noises, skidding to a halt to see the hawk diving to the group of cats, two warriors, Daisybreezw and Weaseltalon and Songface, Amberpaw's father and ThunderClan deputy and... 

Amberpaw!

The ginger apprentice was cowering in fear. Songface whipped around to face his cats, "Run! Get away!"  the cats all began to dart away, Amberpaw at the end, he was snaking in fear, which caused his limp to become worse. He tripped up and tried to get back to his paws but couldn't, instead, he felt sharp talons rip into his pelt and tug violently upwards. Dustsnow let out a battle cry and flung himself at the hawk beginning to carry his apprentice off. He clawed its body and bit at its legs, all while Amberpaw was attempting to writhe free of the bird's grip. He felt himself slip, his claws weakening, he gave into the jumbled protests of "Let it go!", "It's no use Dustsnow!", and "We can't lose two cats!" from the three cats beneath him and released his hold on it, falling with a thud on the snowy earth. He stared upwards with a blind sorrow in his eyes as the young tom was flown off. He let out a cry of grief, his whole body shaking. Daizybreeze stepped over to him, her eyes flooded with sorrow, "Hey... Dustsnow, it's not your fault," she murmured quietly, flicking her tail over his back. He forced himself to get to his paws, letting out a small growl as he began to limp away, "Yet it was, I was the one who let 'im go out without me," he muttered, his tone scarily dull. 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dustsnow opens up to Foxmist about the strange vision's he's been having since Amberpaw's death, and Amberpaw gets some much-needed attention.

    Foxmist pushed her way into the Warrior's den, her eyes flickering around. She caught sight of her brother trembling and shaking in his nest. As she got closer she noticed that his claws were unsheathed and his breathing was laboured. She furrowed her brow and nudged him softly with her paw. He jolted awake, springing up out of his nest, his eyes widened with fear and his tawny fur bristling. it took him a moment but he settled down a bit. When he did, Foxmist sighed sympathetically, "another nightmare?" she asked, referencing the nightmares he had been having about his apprentice's death. Her brother nodded slowly, "yea', it was the same one, but it wasn't in our territory, none of 'em by the lake in fact," he explained. She tilted her head, "could it have been SoulClan? Their land doesn't touch the lake." she pointed out. Dustsnow simply rolled his eyes, "That's not where I was thinkin', I've never seen the place that I saw in the dream... I think it's somewhere beyond the Clan's domain."

   "Do you mean The Territories of Old?" she gasped, "but those are just nursery tales." Dustsnow narrows his eyes, "was Firestar jus' a myth?" The ginger shecat didn't say anything, only giving an embarrassed frown. "But anyways yea', that's what I'm thinkin', I might jus' talk to Faithstep and see what she says." he shrugged. Their thoughts were interrupted by Wolfstar calling out, "All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a clan meeting!" Foxmist stood up and began to pad off, glancing over her shoulder at her brother who limped after her. 

   The two littermates came to the highledge just as the rest of the camp did, seeing Wolfstar perched on the highledge, Songface by her side, Faithstep and Lithepaw poised under the ledge. When everybody was gathered, she spoke again "Today we come together in honour of our fallen clanmate, Amberpaw, he was a courageous apprentice with the heart of a warrior, he was cheerful and a friend to many, although he may not be with us, I present him to StarClan as Amberstride, a warrior in his turn." The first to call out the tom's new name was his mother, Roseblizzard, the rest of the cats added on, the loudest being Dustsnow. Foxmist looked over to him and saw tears welling in his eyes. Wolfstar flicked her tail to silence the clan, "May I call forward Furzepaw," she meowed, looking down as the small tan apprentice approached, pride gleaming in her wide green eyes, "I am proud of you young one, these past three sunrises since your brother died have been hard on you, but you have kept strong. You have trained for eight long moons under the watchful eyes of Weaseltalon, and it is time for you to become a full warrior of ThunderClan," Wolfstar explained, "from this day forward, until the day you die, you will be called Furzeclaw, for your tireless bravery and strength. A grin swept across the new warrior's face as the clan started to chant her name. The dark-pelted leader hopped off of the highledge, signalling the edge of the meeting. The crowd thinned, everycat going back to their day.

     Foxmist glanced around, seeing Faithstep heading for her and Dustsnow, her eyes filled with concern. The tan-pelted medicine cat gave a heavy sigh, "I need you two to come to my den with me..." she forced out. Dustsnow blinked, "couldn't be a betta' time, I got somethin' on my mind too," he nods, standing up. The tan medicine cat turned and lead the two warriors to her den." When they went in she sat down and turned, facing them. Foxmist's face bore a look of confusion, "What's going on Faithstep?" 

"I've been sent a prophecy." Faithstep murmured, "and I fear that it concerns the both of you," she explains. Dustsnow looked shocked, "A prophecy? Well what is it?" he asked shakily. "Three, two fueled by storm, one by the very life inside them, but all fueled by love, will flee the setting sun, finding where life once was. The first to fight will be the first to lose what’s dear and the first to love will be the first to lose themselves. " she breathed out, "I received it before Amberpa- sorry, Amberstride's death, but now I'm sure, you are the two fueled by storm, and your sister, Petaltorrent was it? Is the one fueled by her soul." She explained. The dark ginger warrior looked from the medicine cat to her littermate and back again, "What does the part about fleeing the setting sun mean?" 

"That's the thing, you have to leave the clan, and go east, the sun sets in the west," Faithstep explains. "L-leave the clan, but, when?" Foxmist gulped. The other shecat dipped her head "Sunset, I have met with Dusksong and we have agreed to escort you both and your sister to the moonpool to see you on your way." 

 

 

 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW--- Later in the chapter, there will be graphic depictions of domestic abuse, but I'll warn you guys when the scene starts

Dustsnow focused his gaze on the shimmering Moonpool waters and flicked his fluffy tail over his snow-white paws. His littermate, Foxmist, was chatting with Faithstep, the medicine cat a few tail-lengths away. The older, tan-pelted shecat, flicked her nose to the sky, the sun was dangerously close to beginning its descent, "I wonder where the others are," she murmured, looking back down at Foxmist, "It's nearly sunset." And as if on cue, Dusksong, the SoulClan healer, padded into the clearing, Petaltorrent at her tail he noticed that his sister had grown a lot, looking as though she gained a considerable amount of weight, and her pelt was now crisscrossed with many scars. The tawny-pelted tom glanced over at the new arrivals, his face brightening up as he bounded over to them. Petaltorrent shrank back in fear, flattening her ears. Dustsnow blinked in confusion, stepping away more cautiously. Dusksong sighed, glancing at her clanmate and flicking her thin black tail over her back. She crouched down and murmured something in her ear. The dappled she-cat hesitated, her eyes filling with confliction, before slowly nodding her head, and shakily standing up. Before Dusksong could speak, Dustsnow interjected, "what happened to ya' Petal?" he asked, worry on his tongue. The SoulClan medicine cat narrowed her amber eyes, "If you'd shut your muzzle I was going to explain, would you like that or are you going to interrupt me again?" she mewed half-playfully, half-snarkily. "Sorry..." he mewed, shuffling his paws.

              Dusksong's tail was lying protectively over her clanmate's back as she began, "You both know that she is mated to my brother, Soulclaw right?" she asked. Foxmist stepped up and sat next to Dustsnow, they nod in unison. " a' course... why?" 

             "He's the cause of the scars..." Petaltorrent added in, her voice grim.  Anger flashed through Dustsnow's eyes, "that no-good, flea-bitten mange-pelt!" he snarled, "how long ago did it start?" 

             "Four moons," Petaltorrent murmured "although I didn't tell anybody until recently...I was so scared of what he'd do."

 

~~~~~~~~FLASHBACK~~~~~~~~

(TW-- Domestic Abuse/Rape)

           _Petaltorrent strode into the SoulClan camp, she had just returned from the sunhigh patrol but she had come back a lot later than the rest of the cats due to hunting.  As she entered, she caught sight of her mate, Soulclaw, a handsome dark-tabby tom, walking towards her. Her heart lurched in her chest, fury painting his gaze. "Where were you?!" he snarled. Petaltorrent's ears tilted backwards and she dropped the two large rats dangling from her jaws, "I was on the sunhigh patrol, an-"_

 

_"It's sunset." Soulclaw snapped, his eyes narrowing. "I-I was hunting." the dark-pelted tom unsheathed his claws "It wasn't a hunting patrol, was it? You had me worried." he hissed. "I had nothing else to do Soulclaw" the dappled shecat protested. "Do I not have a right to be worried?" he growled, advancing on his mate. "You do, b-but I was providing for m-my clan." She stammered. Soulclaw reached a paw up and slashed it over her already heavily scarred cheek. "You know better than to argue with me, to the forest," he demanded. Petaltorrent widened her eyes with fear, but complied, starting for the exit. She shakily padded into the clearing. He sneered,  "Get down," he ordered. She obeyed and he climbed on top of her. Her breath hitched, noticing a break in the clearing's wall. She lurched forward, trying to get away. "Playing it like that eh, have it your way," he snorts, hurtling after her. He leapt forward, scoring his claws over her back and taking her to the ground. He resumed his place on top of her, as she struggled, he thumped the side of her head forcefully with one of his large paws. Her eyes flickered as she felt dazed, about to slip out of consciousness. "Goodnight my love," Soulclaw whispered in her ear, grabbing her by the scruff as her vision went black._

 

_~~~~~~~FLASHBACK OVER~~~~~~_

 

"It's hard to think that somebody I once loved so much, would hurt me so badly..." Petaltorrent murmured, looking away. Faithstep padded forward, "Will you be fit to travel?" she asked the young warrior. She nods in response, "Dusksong has taught me so much, that if I'm not along the way I can treat myself," she chuckled dryly, flicking her feathery tail over to the black-pelted healer. Dusksong purred in amusement, "I've had a lot of time on my paws since I lost my apprentice, can't see why Plant didn't apprentice her to me to begin with, she learned fast." Once again, Faithstep flicked her nose to the sky, "It's sunset, you three should be off soon," she mewed. The three siblings smiled and got to their paws. Dusksong approached her friend and headbutted her gently, "Be safe, I have faith in you Petaltorrent," she purred, sitting down. "May StarClan guide your paws and show you the way," the tan medicine cat mewed, dipping her head. "Thank ya' Faithstep, I guess we'll be off now," he grinned, glancing at his sisters, "Are you two ready?" he asked. His littermates nodded in unison. "Away from the settin' sun so, east, right Faithstep?" Dustsnow asked, flicking his ear. "Right, now, you must be off now, the sun is setting fast," she ordered, dipping her head dismissively. Dustsnow glanced at the lowering sun, poking his nose in the opposite direction, Let's go," he purred "Goodbye Faithstep, goodbye Dusksong." 

            And with that, he made his way to the exit, his sisters behind him.

 

   A little while later, after the sun had set, the sibling's paws were becoming weary and heavy. Foxmist opened her muzzle and began to speak, "Are you two as tired as I am?" she asked, In response, she got mumbled words of agreement from her littermates. She sniffed the air, pointing her paw in the direction of a shallow fox den, "It smells stale, we could sleep in there," she suggested. Petaltorrent gave a nod of approval, making her way over to it. Foxmist was the first to enter, curling herself in the far corner, falling asleep immediately. Dustsnow chuckled lying down next to her, Petaltorrent following suit a little ways away. He slowly drifted off, the forest sounds lulling him to sleep.

    Dawn-light flooded the forest as Dustsnow flicked his eyes open, drawing them around the den. Foxmist was fast asleep, but Petaltorrent was nowhere to be seen. He hopped on his paws, mind racing about where his sister could've gone. He left the den, looking around wildly for the patch-pelted shecat.  He finally caught sight of her walking towards him, a fat vole and a good-sized squirrel dangling from her brown jaws. She dropped them in front of Dustsnow, "Sorry if I worried you, I woke up a while ago and couldn't go back to sleep so I went hunting," she murmured anxiously, shuffling her paws. Dustsnow perked his tufted ears, "that's great, thanks!" he smiled. She tilted her head in confusion, "You're not, mad?"

"Why would I?" Dustsnow asked, sitting down. "I dunno," she responded, "I guess I'm so used to being yelled at for being somewhere I'm not supposed to," she muttered, shrugging. The tawny tom placed one paw on hers, "Listen Petal, I'm not Soulclaw, you're free to hunt without notice, I'm honestly grateful for it," he purred. His sister smiled half-heartedly, "most days I don't even recognise me you know Dustsnow,"  his eyes became confused, "What is that supposed to mean?" he asked. "That these paws, and this pelt, that clan, and my clanmates, have taken more than I gave them," she explained, looking away. "Petaltorrent..." 

"It's not easy to know that I'm not anything that I used to be," she started, "do you remember that strong-headed shecat that always did her own thing?" she questioned. Her brother nodded silently. "I'm imperfect," she sighs, sitting down. "But you try, you're good" he mews sympathetically. She shakes her head "But I lie..." she protests "If I'm honest I know, that I'd give it all back for a chance to start over, to re-write and ending or two, I was reckless Dustsnow, but just enough." she sighs. "You got hurt, but you're learning to toughen up, you are bruised, and you got used, by a tom who couldn't love, and then you got stuck..." 

 "I was scared, of the life that surrounded me, but it reminded me to fight to get back the fire in my eyes," she grinned weakly, standing up, "You should go wake up Foxmist, I bet she'll be hungry." she chuckles.

. 

 

    

 

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Idk if its a TW?  
> But there is a brief scene with vomit in this

         Foxmist shook out her pelt, swallowing the last bit of prey and standing up, "Hey, thanks again Petal." she smiled warmly at her sister, who licked her chest fur embarrassedly, "It's no trouble actually," she mews, "No, honestly, you're one of the best hunters I know," the dark ginger she-cat beamed the encouraging words. Petaltorrent chuckled awkwardly and shrugged, "Well thanks." 

        A tail-length away, Dustsnow sat, a bit impatiently, "C'mon guys, we need to get goin', at this rate, we'll still be here in leaf-fall," he teased. Petaltorrent simply rolled her eyes, "the prophecy didn't say anything about a deadline, did it?" she snorts jokingly. "He's not wrong though Petal if we leave now, we can find somewhere to rest at sunhigh and get going again at sunset,"  Foxmist suggested.  The tawny-pelted tom gave an approving nod "I like that, what about you?" he asked, directing his words to his other sister now. She smiled, "sounds pretty good, but which way do we go now since it's not sunset," 

       "Since we went away from the setting sun, does that mean we chase the rising one?" Dustsnow mewed in response, his tail flicking impatiently, "now that we know where we're going, we should go," Foxmist added in. Peteltorrent looked up to the morning sky, her ears twitching, before turning her feathery tail over to where the sun sat, just above the colourful horizon, "Let's be on our way," she yawned, starting forward to the place she had indicated, the other two cats followed her, their eyes glimmering with hope. "What do you think we'll see there?" Dustsnow asked. The dappled SoulClan warrior shrugged, "I've got no clue."

       "If it's anything like the tales we were told as kits, it'll be awesome," the other she-cat beamed. Dustsnow's gaze turned soft and warm, "I remember those well," he purred, recalling his kithood being told various stories of the Territories of Old as well as the current ones. "There's no use speculating, we'll see when we get ther-" Petaltorrent murmured but was cut off by a wave of sickness fell over her and she fell to the ground, her eyes screwed shut. Dustsnow moved forward to her side. "Petal? Petal are you alright?" he asked hastily. After a few worry-filled moments she shakily got to her paws, giving a broken sigh, she spoke "It's just a bellyache, it's been going on for about three sunrises ago, both Dusk and I think it was just bad prey," she mewed out, before her paws gave out again, her stomach convulsed and vomit spilled out of her throat onto the forest floor. Silence filled the air before Petaltorrent broke it again, sitting up and wiping her muzzle off. She looked at the forest surrounding her. The patch-pelted she-cat stood up and padded over to a push, which was a lush green with a few blue-purple berries on it, Petaltorrent flicked her gaze back to her littermates, "Juniper berries, they'll help with the bellyache," she murmured, turning back and eating a couple of berries. "Alright," she breathed, "let's get back on track," 

"No, you need to rest," Foxmist pointed out, "at least for a few minutes, please." Petal shook her head, "I'll be fine like you said, we can rest at sunhigh." she insisted. Dustsnow narrowed his eyes in protest, "Fine, but if you get sick anymore until then, we're stopping until tomorrow." The SoulClan warrior nodded in agreement.

Later in the day, around sunhigh, the siblings pushed their ways into a small clearing, they had made decent progress on their journey for the short time they had been travelling. When Petaltorrent entered, she immediately laid down, panting. Foxmist did the same, but as soon as her eyes shut, she drifted off to sleep. After a few moments of resting, Dustsnow stood up and glanced at Petaltorrent, who was still awake, "I'm going to go find water, I'll be back," he mewed tiredly. The patch-pelted she-cat nodded silently. And with that, Dustsnow left the clearing. He sniffed the air, looking around the lush forest. He caught wind of a crisp scent,  _stream water!_ , he grinned, bounding towards to the smell. When he stopped, he had reached a thin, slow-moving stream. He let out a sigh of relief and crouched down to take a drink of it. He finished up and began to pad back to where the clearing was. He stopped in his tracks when he heard a low groaning noise. The tawny tom's heart lurched and he raced back. In the clearing, he saw Petaltorrent hunched over, as she had been earlier, and Foxmist beside her, now awake, and a concerned look painting her face. "That's it," Dustsnow stated, "were staying here until sunset tomorrow, you need to rest." Petal looked him in the eyes for just a moment before nodding a little. He sat in front of his sisters, "Petal, are you sure this is just a bellyache?" he asked. She sighed rigidly, "I...I'm not sure? What are you suggesting could be wrong?" 

He glanced her over, noticing that her belly pushed out to the side a little, "Could you be... pregnant?" She breathed in sharply, looking away, "There's that chance... yes, but I don't know how to tell exactly, I've never had to deal with a queen in SoulClan, the last litter born there was us."

"I know what it looks like, Shiverpetal had her kits not too long ago, and when she was first expecting, she was acting a lot like you've been," Foxmist pointed out. Petaltorrent shook her head gravely, "this can't be happening, n-not now, not with  _him_ as the father," she choked out, tears brimming her eyes. Dustsnow crouched on the other side of her and placed his muzzle on the top of her head, "It's all going to be fine Petal," he breathed out. Petaltorrent lowered her head on her paws and closed her eyes, before murmuring out thanks to her brother. She soon fell asleep, along with Foxmist. For Dustsnow, it took a little longer, as his mind was racing with thoughts and concern for his sister.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter might be back at SoulClan? Idk

**Author's Note:**

> AAAA thank you guys soooo much for giving this a read ^.^


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